The length of video games is something that divides the community. Some players only buylong, open-world gamesin the hope of getting their money’s worth, while others prefer quality over quantity and are consequently happy with ashort, linear adventure.
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However, some games manage to satisfy both types of players by having acompact, structured main storybut tons of additional content for completionists. This is especially beneficial for games that have both hardcore andcasual audiences, as casual players can enjoy beating the not-too-challenging main story, while more experienced gamers can put their skills to the test and aim for 100% completion.
10Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mariois the best franchise to kick off this list as it’s the most famous example of the previous point.Mariotitles have perfected the art of satisfying both casual and hardcore gamers by filling their levels with stars (or equivalent) to obtain but only requiring a fraction of them to be found to complete the main story.
Super Mario Odysseytook this idea to a whole new level in 2017, as there are 880 moons in the game, but only 124 of them are needed to reach the end credits.
9Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Another mascot platformer that has perfected the art of satisfying multiple audiences isCrash Bandicoot.The orange marsupial has been satisfying completionists since his PlayStation 1 days, as the first twoCrashtitles offered gems for breaking all of a level’s boxes, whileCrash 3: Warpedaddedtime trailsto the mix.
The most recent title,Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, took this concept a step further. Not only are there far more boxes to break and secrets to find across the levels, but there are also numerous new features such as the Flashback Tapes and N. Sanely Perfect Relics that are required to reach 106% completion.
8Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb
Indiana Jones’gaming franchise has found itself in the gaming industry’s spotlight in recent weeks following the announcement that MachineGames is developing a new game featuring the whip-cracking archaeologist. Likely due to this news, Microsoft has offered players the original Xbox gameIndiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tombas part of their Games With Gold service.
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The 2003 game is great for completionists, as in trueIndiana Jonesfashion, there are numerous optional artifacts to find throughout the game. Finding these artifacts is far easier said than done, as not only are many of them well hidden, but the game’s large stages feature no mid-level save feature; so the player will need to commit a ton of time toEmperor’s Tombif they want to 100% the game without looking at a guide.
7Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Much likeIndiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb,the originalSpyrotrilogy tempts completionists by having optional collectibles in its levels. However,Spyro Reignited Trilogyups the ante from theIndiana Jonesgame, as the levels are littered with gems, eggs, and/or dragons to find.
Despite being three games in one,Spyro Reignited Trilogy’s main storycan be sped through in no time at all, but trying to 100% every level and hub area in the three games will keep players occupied for a long, long time.
6Grand Theft Auto IV
Much like theReignited Trilogy,Grand Theft Auto IVis considered a lengthy game, but it can actually be completed in one or two sittings if the player solely focuses on the main story. However,Grand Theft Auto IVcontinues the series' tradition of offering tons of supplementary content to the main story, as the game is filled to the brim with side quests and optional activities to complete.
Grand Theft Auto IVfeatures on this list specifically for the optional pigeon challenge. The game’s huge map has a whopping 200 pigeons for players to find and kill, which can take a painful amount of time if players do itwithout a guide.
5Rayman Legends
The fourth and final mascot platformer that started life pre-2000 on this list,Raymanreturned to his side-scrolling roots in 2011 withRayman Origins.The game was extremely well received, and it was only a matter of time before a sequel was released.
A sequel came in the form ofRayman Legends,which kept what worked fromOriginswhile offering a few new features for good measure, earning the game huge Metascores between 87 and 92 for the original edition. Similar to the other mascot platformers on this list, limbless hero Rayman satisfies causal and hardcore gamers by filling its simple-to-complete levels with challenging extras to find.
4Braid
Jonathan Blow’sBraidwas released in 2008 and is today recognized as a pioneer of indie gaming’s rise in the industry. The game seemingly offered a standard story of saving a princess, but it soon became clear that all wasn’t as it seemed.Braidwill have been extremely confusing for players who don’t focus on collecting extras, as most of the levels let players stroll from one end to the other without much challenge at all. Therefore, most players can reach the game’s first ending without ever really breaking a sweat.
However, to reach the second ending, players will need to masterthe game’s convoluted time-manipulating mechanicsto collect all of the puzzle pieces. Moreover, to reach the third and final ending, players need to collect stars which can be extremely tough to find. For example, one of the stars requires players to stand on a cloud for almost two hours in real-time.
3Celeste
Indie studio Matt Makes Games found itself at the forefront of the gaming industry in 2018 when its platformerCelestewas receiving enormous praise from critics, earning the title anXbox One Metascore of 94, which is the same score as classics likeGears of WarandThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
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The love and praise thatCelestehas been receiving isn’t indicative of its difficulty, as the game is one of the toughest platformers of all time to 100%. To complete the game, players need to obtain and complete B-Side Cassette Tapes, collect strawberries, find crystal blue hearts, and much, much more.
2The LEGO Games
Ever sinceLEGOStar Wars: The Video Gamehit stores, theLEGOgames have become a cornerstone of the collectathon market. Sure, players can simply blitz through the levels as fast as possible, but they’ll be missing out on a ton of rewards and extra content if they do.
At a time when microtransactions are finding their way into numerous AAA titles, theLEGOgames offer additional collectibles through good-old-fashioned progression. The main reward inLEGOgames is characters, as iconic heroes and villains like Jango Fett, Sauron and Voldemort can be unlocked by perfecting levels.
1The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Despite receiving tons of praise for its revolutionary open-world design, players can defeat Ganon and completeBreath of the Wildas soon as they complete the tutorial, in theory making it Link’s shortest adventure.
However, the game’shuge open-worldis begging to be explored as there are dungeons, shrines, and side quests to complete. That’s not all that players need to collect, though, as there are also 900 korok seeds to find throughout the enormous map. Anyone wanting to take on the game’s ultimate challenge in hopes that it earns them a huge reward, it may be worthresearching what the prize is to avoid utter disappointment.
